Healthcare Diagnostics Company IT Infrastructure Consolidation

Overview

A leading healthcare diagnostics company, based in suburban Atlanta, specializes in providing a wide range of laboratory diagnostic services such as Cancer Genomics, Pharmacogenomics, Toxicology, and Infectious Diseases. With a state-of-the-art 30,000 square-foot facility, they support healthcare professionals by delivering critical data for better decision-making. This case study details the challenges faced and solutions implemented during the company’s IT infrastructure consolidation after a significant acquisition.

Challenges

The company expanded its operations through an acquisition, which added an outdated IT infrastructure located in New Jersey. This infrastructure supported essential applications for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services, involving time-sensitive and critical healthcare services. Despite the initiation of an internal project to migrate and consolidate the IT infrastructure into their Atlanta-based facility, progress was stalling. The complexity of the applications and ongoing operational requirements demanded a specialized approach that exceeded the in-house capabilities.

Solution

The company enlisted the services of a App Maisters with expertise in data center integration and migration. The firm adopted a dual strategy to address the company’s needs:

  • Consultation and Planning: Leveraging their expertise in computing, network, storage, and architecture, the consultancy firm undertook a comprehensive assessment and planning phase. This phase focused on aligning the technology with business processes and preparing for the physical migration.
  • Dedicated Onsite Execution: The consultancy deployed a dedicated team to manage and execute the migration. This team handled various critical tasks including:
  • Project Management: Overseeing stakeholder communication and managing deadlines and milestones.
  • Application Mapping: Ensuring a thorough inventory and understanding of infrastructure dependencies and requirements.
  • The approach allowed for flexible staffing levels, adjusting the team size based on the project demands and the availability of the client’s in-house experts.

Services Provided

  • Data Center Inventory and Migration
  • Comprehensive Program and Project Management
  • Virtualization and Storage Design
  • Network Architecture
  • IT Process Alignment

Results

  • Cost Efficiency: The consolidation led to significant cost savings by eliminating the need to operate multiple data centers.
  • Operational Efficiency: Implementations of virtualization and more efficient hardware reduced ongoing operational costs and streamlined IT management.
  • Enhanced Asset Management: Improved tracking and management of IT assets.
  • Infrastructure Optimization: The project highlighted and rectified critical weaknesses in the existing infrastructure, enhancing overall system robustness.